Clip - on brush guard

ABSTRACT

My invention attaches to trucks with snowplows. When the truck owner takes the snowplow off of the vehicle, my brush guard clips on to the truck side push plates remaining on the truck after the snowplow has been removed. To use the snowplow again, pull the pins on the brush guard slide it off and drive up to the snowplow and reattach snowplow without any tools required.  
     This process consists of two easy steps. Slide the brush guard onto the snowplow push plates until the holes line up. Twist and pull the spring loaded pins to ( 1 ) engage pins. To remove brush guard pull and twist pins ¼ turn until retaining key holds ( 10 ) pins open and slide brush guard off.

The twist pin is a hitch pin with a tension pin (11) about half way to retain the return spring (13). The tension pin protrudes from the hitch pin on both sides to retain the return spring and to hold the twist pin on the tension pin rest (14) in the disengaged position (10). The twist pin in it's engaged position (1) slides through the center of the spring housing (7) and the mounting bracket (2) to be received by the side place of the brush guard (4), as shown in FIG. 4. The aforementioned side plate (4) is one continuous piece forming the side of the brush guard with a hole to receive the twist pin. The side plate rises up in front of the truck grille (3) and protrudes back towards the front wheels of truck to be received by the snow plow bracket (6) to take up movement in brush guard (15) when the guard is on the truck, as shown in FIG. 2.

A second box is created when the spring housing (7) is attached to the mounting bracket (2). The spring housing (7) houses the return spring (13) and tension pin (11). The tension pin allows the return spring to be compressed, as shown in FIG. 3.

Inside the spring housing (7) there are two tabs creating the tension pin rest (14). This rest allows the twist pin (8) to stay open or disengaged (10) to allow the brush guard to be removed or mounted by keeping the twist pin out of the way. The process to disengage the twist pin (8) is as follows, pull and twist the pin ¼ turn, pull the pin past the tension pin rest and turn back ¼ turn while resting the tension pin (11) on the tension pin rest (14). This holds the twist pin (8) in the disengaged position (10) and out of the way, as shown in FIG. 3.

The brush guard mounting bracket (2) consists of one piece of (C) channel with a 1″ hole (16) to receive a twist pin welded to a side plate (4). An end piece is welded to one end of (C) channel creating a five sided box. The open end receives the truck side push plate. Welded to the side of mounting bracket is another five sided piece of metal with a hole to receive the twist pin and retain the return spring. This spring housing (7) has two metal tabs opposite of each other creating the tension pin rest (14). The tension pin rest is utilized to hold the twist pin in a disengaged position (10) by resting the tension pin on top of these tabs while compressing the return spring, as shown in FIG. 3.

To move the tension pin past the tension pin rest, the twist pin must be turned ¼ turn in either direction pulled past tension pin rest while compressing the return spring. When this action has been achieved, the twist pin can be turned back ¼ turn in the opposite direction of the first action and the tension pin will rest on the tension pin rest, as shown in FIG. 3.

To engage the twist pin, pull back on the twist pin, turn ¼ turn either direction and release the twist pin. The Twist pin with the tension on the return spring will return to the engaged position, going completely through the spring housing, snow plow push plate, mounting bracket, and to be received by the hole in the brush guard side plate, as shown in FIG. 4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Is two front views of the brush guard, one engaged one disengaged.

FIG. 2. Is the Side view of the brush guard and the truck side snow plow push plates.

FIG. 3. Is the blow up of the Twist pin and the bracket system in the disengaged position.

FIG. 4. Is the blow up of the Twist pin and the bracket system in the engaged position. 

1. The side of the brush guard is a one continuous piece with a 1 inch hole to receive the end of the twist pin. The bottom of the brush guard slides into the snow plow push plates to reduce movement after both twist pins have been engaged. To disengage the twist pin pull and twist ¼ turn and release. This action holds the twist pin in the disengaged position to mount or remove the brush guard. Engaging the twist pin by turning pin back in the opposite direction and releasing pin to slide through the spring housing, mounting bracket and to be received by the side plate. All engagement and disingagement is accomplished without the use of tools. Mounting and removing the brush guard is accomplished by simply pulling and twisting a pin.
 2. The outside of the brush guard is (4) one piece creating the outside of bracket. The (5) inside is made up of a piece of “C” Channel welded on to the inside plates creating a channel to (6) receive the truck side mounting plates from the snow plow. On top of the “C” channel is (7) another piece of “C” channel that houses the spring and connecting (8) pin. Pull and one ¼ turn holds the pin in place out of the way to (6) receive the truck side mounting plates. One ¼ turn back releases the (9) pins to lock into place to hold the (3) brush guard on to the trucks existing truck side snow plow push plates.
 3. The Brush guard is designed to fit any vehicle with a snowplow, whether it is prior to quick-mount systems, meaning the old style, the plow frame stays on the truck or today's style where the plow frame comes off the with the plow and what you are left with on your truck is two push plates or brackets to receive the plow and frame. These brackets are very hard to remove and are made to stay on your truck even in warm weather. This makes for some unsightly pieces of metal protruding from your truck in a work where appearance is everything. I designed the brush guard to improve the appearance of the metal brackets and protect the grill and headlights of the vehicle it is on.
 4. Some notable features of the brush guard are steel tubing making up the cross pieces with ¼ steel side plates on either side. The total width of brush guard will vary depending on what make and model of snowplow you have and the height will be determined by the vehicle. The receiver part (2) of the brush guard (the bottom of the brush guard that clips onto the snowplow brackets) clips on the truck using two spring loaded connecting pins when the brush guard is put into place you turn the pins and the brush guard is now mounted on your vehicle. The clip-on brush guard will also come with pre-drilled holes for headlight guards and fog lights. Color selection will be determined by the vehicle. 